November 07, 2007	Wednesday	Shawwal 25, 1428

KINGSTON (Jamaica), Nov 6: Toxicology samples from the stomach of Pakistan’s cricket coach Bob Woolmer will be re-examined because experts disagree on whether poisoning was a factor in his death at the World Cup in March, a coroner presiding over an inquest said on Monday.

A British expert who analysed toxicology tests testified at the inquest last week that no traces of a potentially deadly pesticide was found in the samples, contradicting Jamaica’s government pathologist, Dr Ere Sheshiah, who insisted the coach had been poisoned by the pesticide cypermethrin and strangled.

Sheshiah’s findings have been criticised by foreign doctors who concluded Woolmer died from natural causes, most likely heart disease.

Woolmer, 58, was found unconscious in his Kingston hotel room on March 18, a day after his Pakistan team were eliminated from the World Cup by Ireland.

Coroner Patrick Murphy consented on Monday for further tests to be conducted on the samples. The additional testing was requested by the lead investigator, Deputy Commissioner of Police Mark Shields, who said arrangements are being made for the samples to be retrieved from London as well as Jamaica’s government forensic lab.

The re-examination and further analysis of the samples is to be done at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica.

Murphy ordered that the retesting be completed by Nov 12.

Four days after Woolmer was found in his Kingston hotel room, Sheshiah ruled the coach had been strangled, launching a globe-spanning murder probe.

In testimony at the inquest, British forensic specialist John Slaughter said urine and blood samples showed no sign of poisonous substances. —AP